Children of the Fallen Pedigree
by Hamaguri
Summary: Well folks, Hama's really dropped the ball on this one. I haven't worked on it for a VERY long time as you can see. and it seems it will be a long time b4 i even think about working on it again. Flame me if it makes you feel better, but i do apologize.
1. Enter the Hanyou

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or it's characters *tear*  
  
AN: Well, another slave fic. I know there are a lot of these out there, but no matter how many I read, I always want to read more of them. Hopefully you find mine to be slightly different than the others, for reasons that you'll read at the end of this chapter. Enjoy!  
  
Children of the Fallen Pedigree  
  
Chapter 1: Enter the Hanyou  
  
"None of these." The tall, dark man stated as he peered at the pathetic row of cages. "You claim to sell unbroken slaves, but all these seem to be fairly worn down already."  
  
The shopkeeper chuckled softly. "You're no fool, Kouji. Most people take my word for it. Yes, they are pretty far along in their training, but even those who crave to break a slave find these to be a handful."  
  
The man shook his head, sending his shoulder length, chestnut hair dancing. "No, I need one with a lot of fire still left in it. I enjoy the challenge." He cracked his knuckles to emphasize the point.  
  
"Well, if a challenge is what you desire." the keeper trailed off as he led the man to a back room. Here the cages were much bigger, and sturdier. "These are a few of the genetically engineered kind. They're much stronger, physically, and emotionally. Perhaps one of these might satisfy your thirst."  
  
He wandered down the row, studying each individual. They were all human, sturdy, well muscled. Each one glared angrily at him as he passed. "Interesting." He came to the end of the row to a cage where the thick glass was also reinforced with metal bars. The cage appeared to be empty.  
  
"Not that one!" The owner promptly trotted up to the man and grabbed his arm.  
  
"What are you talking about? It's empty."  
  
Both men jumped back as something slammed loudly into the glass. Kouji stared in disbelief. Seemingly out of nowhere, a girl had attacked the barrier. She stood, poised, every muscle tense, claws digging into the sturdy, clear material. His eyes widened as he took in her whole being. She was lean and curvy, with smooth light skin. Ebony hair spilled over her shoulders and rested at the small of her back. Nestled atop her head was a pair of ruddy brown cat ears. They were pressed tightly back against her skull, her tail, sporting the same color and a little bit bushy, thrashed angrily behind her. She growled at the pair of cowering men, flashing her sharp white fangs and scraping her claws against the glass.  
  
"Settle down!" The shopkeeper slammed his palm onto a small button that lived on the panel in front of the cage. The girl instantly jumped backwards and twitched in pain. Kouji could hear the crackling of electricity through the window.  
  
He couldn't believe his eyes. "She-she's a hanyou!"  
  
The shopkeeper just grinned. "Yeah. I can't wait 'till she's all trained and I can sell her. I'll be able to retire early."  
  
Kouji just gaped. A hanyou, as a slave? This couldn't be possible. Somehow, all the female, pure blood yokai had been wiped out, or simply could not bare children. The race then turned to cross breeding with humans. The result was a boom of hanyou of varying heritages. For some strange reason, whenever a full-blooded male demon bred with a female hanyou, the offspring were all stillborn. The yokai and hanyou numbers began to thin out, with human prejudice further helping their demise. If two hanyou bred, live, fertile offspring were produced, but each child only had a 25% chance of being a full-blooded yokai. No full blooded yokai had yet been born to a hanyou couple. Because of all this, those wishing to save the species treasured any and all hanyou. So the idea that such a valuable being would be sold as a slave was appalling. Slaves were strictly not allowed to breed without the supervision of a licensed breeder, and even then there was a sea of red tape to be sailed through.  
  
"How did you come across a specimen such as this?" He asked the man curiously. "You must have acquired her illegally." Though the people as a whole despised yokai and their spawn, the government had strict laws regarding them, as if they were just another endangered species.  
  
"There are exceptions to every rule." The keeper smirked evilly. "No, I acquired her very legally, but if I were to disclose that information to you, I would be out of business."  
  
Kouji frowned. He himself was human, but his cousin, for whom he was buying and breaking a slave, was a hanyou. This family tie to the plight of the yokai gave him a sense of duty to this creature. "I want this one."  
  
The shopkeeper looked at him as if he had just bitten off his own finger. "What? No! I told you, she's not for sale, not yet anyway."  
  
"I said before that I enjoyed a challenge, and I think a hanyou slave would rise to meet it." He tried to hide his ulterior motives from the man. "I'll pay you five thousand."  
  
The keeper scoffed. "Even if I were selling her now, she's worth much more than that. Fully trained, she could bring me ten times as much."  
  
Kouji's eyes narrowed. "Do you realize how much trouble you could get into for having a hanyou as a slave? Now that I know your secret, I think we may be able to come to some sort of arrangement."  
  
The other man glared at Kouji with hatred. He was obviously being threatened. The nervous look in the shopkeepers' eyes told Kouji that the crime was still punishable, whether he acquired the girl legally or not. "Ten thousand."  
  
"Six thousand."  
  
"Eight!"  
  
The hanyou girl listened to the men barter through the thick glass. Illegal? She wondered what exactly was so illegal, and how it affected her. She only recently had been brought into slavery, a meager eight months ago. But she was brought over from a different country, and therefore had no knowledge of the way things worked around here. A tiny flicker of hope lit in her heart. Perhaps this strange man would be her ticket to freedom. Her tail twitched excitedly at the prospect of returning home to her family.  
  
"Seventy-five hundred, and not a penny less." The shop owner's face was stricken with the disappointment of losing her at such a low price.  
  
Kouji considered for a moment. "Done."  
  
Her spirits rose. She was finally getting out of this hellhole, and possibly on the path back to freedom. When the men had finished all the official paperwork, the keeper came to her door with the leash and collar in hand. Rather than attack him in anger as she normally did, she sat calmly and submissively. She certainly wasn't going hinder her chance to live free, not if she could help it. The collar snapped around her neck, and the keeper led her out of the cramped enclosure.  
  
"The collar is electrified. Just squeeze the trigger on the end here, and she'll get her correction. Believe me, you're going to need it." He reluctantly handed the leash over to the younger man.  
  
"By what name did you address her as?"  
  
"Call her what ever the fuck you want. She belongs to you."  
  
"My name is Kagome!" The cat snapped. She hated it when they acted like she didn't exist. Her response earned her a sharp crack in the head from the shop owner.  
  
"Nobody asked you!" He said hotly. She scowled at him, her deep brown eyes igniting with hatred.  
  
Kouji laughed evilly. "This IS going to be fun!" He yanked on the leash, forcing her to follow him out of the shop.  
  
AN: Really short.sorry. It's kinda the pilot chapter to see if anyone will read it. So.whajya think? Kagome? A hanyou!? Yes my children. Actually, I originally intended this story to be original fiction, but Inu Yasha somehow wormed his way into being the main male character. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't imagine him being anyone other than Inu Yasha.  
  
Hama: *yelling @ Inu Yasha* Curse you and your overwhelming sexiness!  
  
Inu Yasha: Mwahahahaha!  
  
Fox: Hey! What about me?  
  
Hama: Um.*tries to change the subject* Anyway, wherever Inu Yasha goes, all his little friends follow, including the beautiful Kagome. And the story just wouldn't work if she wasn't a hanyou, so that's where all that comes from. I only hope I can keep everyone in character.but that's what reviews are for, right? You'll let me know if they're getting off character, won't you? I promise plenty of waff (warm and fuzzy feelings, "fluff" just doesn't sound right to me) with Inu/Kag, Mir/Sango, and maybe some Sess/Rin, but I haven't figured out how to work them in yet (although I really want to because Fluffy is so goddamn cool!!!) *stares in quiet admiration at Sesshoumaru*  
  
Fluffy: What the fuck's your problem? *still looking stoic as ever*  
  
Hama: *starry eyed* Sesshoumaru sama.kakui! (I have no idea how to spell that)  
  
Miroku: *wanders into the authoress's realm* Hey, what's going on in here?  
  
Hama: *glomps Miroku* Wai! Miroku sama!  
  
Fox: *getting frustrated*  
  
Kouga: *wanders in after Miroku* Oi, Inukoro! Where's Kago-gya!  
  
Hama: *glomps Kouga too* Kouga sama!!  
  
Fox: Okay, that's it! *drags the authoress out of the realm* No more IY boyz for you.  
  
Hama: *kicking and screaming* No! Put me back! It's my realm, I can do what I want! Fox sama! Onegai shi mas!? (more Japanese spelling problems.)  
  
Fox: No.*continues to drag her away*  
  
All the IY boyz: *sweatdrop*  
  
Miroku: Um.please R+R, she thrives on reviews. 


	2. Harsh Lessons

Disclaimer: I don't own it! Now leave me alone!  
  
AN: Okay, here's chapter 2! Sorry it's a little on the short side (usually when I write, my chapters exceed 10 pages, oh well) I had a hard time writing this one because I'm so anxious to get Kagome outta there. All I've been able to think about is 'post breaking' plot. But here it is! I finally squeezed it out of my brain. Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2: Harsh Lessons  
  
Kagome's spirits were high as she followed Kouji to the car. *Finally, a chance to be free again. * She struggled to hide her excitement, as well as keep her tail under control. It always seemed to have a mind of its own, and at the moment was trying to thrash wildly. She promptly got into the back seat and sat quietly. Here eyes, however, darted about the windows. She couldn't help but watch the free world pass through the glass. It had been so long since she had even seen the outdoors.  
  
After about a half hour drive, they pulled into the driveway of Kouji's home. It was a good-sized house, bigger than most, but no mansion. The lawn was neatly kept, probably by a landscaping company. The inside was fairly simple and not too lavishly decorated. Kagome sniffed the air quietly. The smell indicated that Kouji lived in this big house alone; he didn't even have any other slaves. He led her through the kitchen to a set of creaky stairs. They led down, into the basement. Passing a small laundry area, Kouji quickly worked the lock on a simple wooden door. He opened it, sending a small breeze past them. Kagome wrinkled her nose, the room smelled of sweat, blood, and a few others that she cared not to try and identify. She felt her stomach twist as she began to realize what the room was. She could not yet see the interior; her spectacular eyes hadn't adjusted yet. Kouji flicked the light on, and her fears were confirmed. It was a slave training room. Dark, dirty, dank. Chains and other restraint devices hung from the wall to their right. With them were a bucket and a dirty, crumpled blanket. Along the other walls were instruments of torture and punishment; clubs, whips, switches... An exam table, chair, a few cabinets, and a soiled cot were amongst them. The floor and walls were made of concrete, with a drain and a hose in one corner.  
  
All of Kagome's hopes of freedom drained away as Kouji led her to the chains and promptly shackled her to the wall. She still had the freedom to sit, stand, and even walk around, though only in a two-foot radius around her anchor.  
  
He removed her collar and tossed it into the trash. "Piece of garbage..." he scowled. "I have something much better." He rummaged in one of the cabinets for a moment, and returned with another collar. It was plain black leather, with a small red gem on the very front. He locked it around her neck and retrieved a remote sporting a similar looking gem. "This one is wireless, much better quality, and much more effective. If you step outside the containment field, you'll get shocked until you're back within its perimeters."  
  
Kagome's eyes narrowed, ears flattening back, tail twitching. A small growl escaped her throat. Kouji wasted no time in pressing that evil looking gem. A wave of pain suddenly rocked through her body. She convulsed on the floor for a few seconds, writhing in agony.  
  
"Tsk tsk. I would think after eight months of training you would have learned better than to growl at your master. No matter, you'll be perfect when I get through with you." Kagome glared at the floor, a single tear escaping her eye. He yanked her into a sitting position looking through her eyes into the very depths of her soul. "You're very precious, you know that?" He rested his hand on the area just below her belly button and squeezed gently. "More specifically, this is very precious." Kagome bit back the urge to tear out his throat right there. "Therefore, I will go easy on this. But the rest of you..." He let the threat hang in the air as he stood and stalked to the row of whips.  
  
---------------  
  
It had been a three months since Kagome was purchased. Already Kouji had managed to suppress her instinctual expression of mood through her tail and ears. His harsh lessons also helped to quell her temper.  
  
"You've come along quite well my little cat." He cooed to her, after a particularly brutal lesson. "Fairly obedient, although we still have a lot of work to do."  
  
Obedient, yes...but far from broken. She still had plenty of fight left in her, but a battered body was no good to either of them, so she did as she was told and tried her best to avoid being beaten. There were some things she just could not bring herself to accept, however. Prior to her 'lesson' they had been working on sexual training. She hated it, (who wouldn't?!) and was unable to control her anger. (AN: I briefly courted the idea of going into detail about this, but it was a little too dark and disturbing, even for me.)  
  
He reached into a cabinet and pulled out a clean set of slave clothes. The outfit consisted of a simple long sleeve shirt and drawstring pants. They were a drab, stained, light gray. He tossed them in her direction along with a towel. "Clean yourself up, you smell." He took another towel and wiped the sweat from his face. "We'll continue our lesson after I come back from my errands." He left, closing the door and shutting off the lights.  
  
The dark didn't bother her, she had impressive night vision. Kagome growled angrily and swiped the wall with her claws in frustration. He hadn't actually taken her virginity, but he made her do some things that she really did not want to do, 'teaching' her. Still growling, she stood and reached for the hose. She cleaned herself quickly, no need to linger when the water was so cold. She dried off and put on the fresh clothes, tossing the soiled ones near the door. She then crouched and listened.  
  
She could hear him moving around upstairs. He showered, dressed. After some more movement around the house, she caught the sound of him leaving, starting his car, and driving away. Her tail twitched in excitement. Now was her chance. He had starved her for about two days now, an ongoing punishment from earlier insubordination. She was just about ready to eat the chains that lay about her feet. Despite the lack of food, he always made sure to give her, her medication. Her neko yokai blood caused her to go into heat a few times a year. The pills she took every day regulated her hormones and suppressed the heat cycle. She still had the urge, but it wasn't the full body ache for sexual contact that she would experience without them. It was made from the same stuff that zoos used on their big cats. No matter what, Kagome always took her pills. Within 48 hours of not taking them she would slip into an intense estrus, where she would pretty much fuck anything that moved. That was the last thing she wanted, especially here, where she would probably catch a beating that would rival the heat in intensity.  
  
After a few minutes of waiting to make sure he was gone, she carefully set to work on her restraints. She mentally reprimanded herself for having any hope of freedom with this master. If anything, this place was worse than the shop. At least there, the keeper believed in breaking her slowly, she actually had a chance to learn what she had done wrong before he punished her again. Such was not so with Kouji, and she had the bruised ribs to prove it.  
  
She stopped fiddling with the lock when she heard a tiny 'click!' from inside. She smiled. It was a skill she kept jealously to herself. She was almost never caught in the past, and when she was she blamed the strength of the chains. The binding necklace she wore on around her neck prevented her from leaving the house, but she could at least escape that dank prison. Believing she was chained to the wall, Kouji never locked the door of the room. She silently stalked from the cold darkness of the basement, up into the bright morning sun that filtered through the windows of the house.  
  
Starved for days, she quickly padded through the kitchen. She frantically searched for some food item she could consume without him noticing the item missing. A large bowl of apples and oranges on the table lent itself to her purposes. She grabbed a couple of apples and ate them quickly, core and all. Best not to leave any physical evidence. She glanced at the bowl, tempted to take more, but that would result in a noticeable lack of fruit, so she began searching for something else. She crept into the large pantry, searching eagerly. She gazed longingly at a stack of tins of tuna. She denied herself the pleasure however, for even a weak human nose would pick up the fishy odor on her. She looked the pantry over briefly again, her ears drooping in disappointment. There was nothing here that she could consume without being noticed.  
  
The refrigerator was packed full of fragrant food. Kouji was apparently a big fan of Chinese food, but wasn't a fan of throwing it out. She searched the aging boxes, settling finally on a ripening box of sesame chicken. Surly he wouldn't notice it missing. Judging by the smell, it was at least a month old, not too appetizing either. But Kagome was ravenous, and her iron caste hanyou stomach could handle just about anything. She quickly scarfed the aged chicken, tore the box into shreds, and sprinkled it into the garbage. She smiled, convinced that she had thoroughly covered her tracks. Nothing satisfies a cat quite like getting away with something undetected. (an: ever notice how cats always try to avoid being noticed, even if they don't have to?)  
  
Her hunger satisfied, she now sought to conquer her boredom. Exploring a little, she finally came upon the entertainment room. It was lavishly furnished with a big screen TV, all kinds of video equipment, as well as a kick ass sound system. She glanced over the discs that lay scattered over the coffee table. She finally picked a single titled "Lucia Di Lammermoor." She slid it into the CD player and pressed play. After a moment of silence, a soft flute introduced the piece. (an: This is that opera that the Diva sang in The Fifth Element. It is a GORGEOUS piece, and I strongly suggest you listen to it as you read this part. Only the first part though, NOT the Diva Dance, I think that would be a little cliché.) A heavenly voice joined the velvety notes of the flute. Kagome felt the emotions of the song wash over her like warm water. It soaked into the very fiber of her being. She felt nothing but lasting contentment. The delicate notes plucked comforting memories from her subconscious, her mother and little brother playing happily in a field of white blossoms. Watching the clouds drift by on a crisp autumn afternoon. Listening to her grandfather tell exciting stories of the full-blooded demons by the summer firelight. Hunting with her father before he died.  
  
Kagome was so caught up in her music-induced euphoria that her sensitive ears didn't pick up the sound of the car pulling back into the driveway. The front door swinging open with the force of someone in an obvious hurry. Kouji had returned only briefly to grab something that he had forgotten he needed to return to a store. But his short visit was extended when he heard the music drifting from the entertainment room.  
  
At the climax of the song he burst into the music filled room. He was red with anger, his hands balled into fists, fury burned in his eyes. Kagome backed against the wall, startled out of her dream world, the horror of being caught twisting her beautiful face.  
  
"You ungrateful little bitch!" he roared, and lunged at her. He swung hard, connecting with her chin. She stumbled backwards and fell over one of the end tables. He yanked her to her feet once more by one of her sensitive ears, only to hit her to the ground once more. He delivered blow after blow, the hard packing sound droned out slightly by the haunting notes of the opera piece. He kicked her in the stomach, forcing the air to rush from her lungs and her body to buckle and curl up.  
  
She huddled in that fetal position, arms thrown around her head in protection. She took her punishment, after the first shocking blow denying him the pleasure of her cries of pain. Her body could not escape the physical abuse, but her mind could. She let her thoughts take flight on the soothing music. They drifted into that wonderful dreamland where her family and friends waited for her. She lost consciousness shortly after the music ended, while Kouji continued to beat her.  
  
(AN: Well, I was going to end it there, but people seem to be very against cliffhangers...)  
  
Kagome slowly floated into consciousness, her battered body ached terribly, especially her ribs. She groaned and forced her eyes to open. Lying close to her head was a bowl of gruel, the typical diet of a slave, along with a napkin that held her medication. She must have been out for at least a day. She forced herself up on her elbows, and painstakingly consumed the gruel and pills. Every movement intensified the dull ache in her ribs and stomach.  
  
The door to the training room opened quietly. Kouji quickly stepped inside, followed by an old woman. "Oh, so you've awakened. I was afraid I went too hard on you." He smirked evily.  
  
Kagome was too tired to dignify the remark with a response. The old lady wasted no time in beginning to examine the hanyou. "Hmm... I didn't believe you at first. But she really is a hanyou." She took stock of Kagome's injuries and frowned. "You should be more careful." She addressed the young man. "Not that I support you treating anyone this way, but you can't go that hard on her. What if you had damaged something vital?"  
  
"I was careful, Kaede." He crossed his arms in annoyance. "I didn't ask you to come and give me a lecture. I only need you to tell me that she's going to be okay."  
  
The old woman sighed heavily. She removed a few herbs from her bag and made Kagome eat them. She used a warm washcloth to wipe away some of the blood and grime from the young girl's face. "Hang in their young one." She whispered just barely loud enough for her to hear. "This will all be over soon." Kagome barely managed a smile.  
  
Kouji was growing impatient. "Alright, enough." He pulled the old woman to her feet. "So what's your prognosis?"  
  
"She'll be fine, with a few days rest. You're lucky she's part demon or you might have done more serious damage." Kagome didn't think the old woman could look more disgusted with Kouji at that point.  
  
"Yeah yeah. Here's your money." He led her out of the room. "And if you tell anyone what you saw here you'll be in big trouble."  
  
The threat sounded half hearted to Kagome. Kaede was a caring old woman, and was obviously displeased with Kouji for the way he was treating her. Maybe that was enough. Maybe Kaede would be able to get her out of this hellhole. Those words of encouragement relit the fires of hope inside her. Exhaustion curled itself around Kagome once more. She lowered herself back to the floor and drifted off to sleep.  
  
----------------- Ugh, well that took forever. I've been reading this really chipper, pointless fluff fic for the past two days, and my spirits have been high and bouncy. Do you know how hard it is to write angst when you're happy!? *Deep sigh* and don't worry, Inu Yasha is coming in the next chapter or so. Trust me, I'm just as anxious to get Kagome away from Kouji as you probably are. It's just that most other slave fics never actually tell of the slave's breaking, so I thought it might be interesting. Normally Fox would make a cameo right about here, but I gotta go start my dog walking now. So, Read and Review! I eat, breathe, and sleep reviews...that didn't sound right...  
  
Thank you lil-kitty-demon077, Lianna, tise, and PrincessDani for reviewing, I greatly appreciate it! (You really have no idea; I think I scared all the techs at work because I was so excited...) 


	3. Authoress's Note

Hama: *looking around* Hey, where am I?  
  
A sign nearby: Welcome to Writers Block. Population: You  
  
Hama: Aw fuck!!! *kicks the sign down* !@#$%^&! Well, it seems the gut wrenching depression and angst that was once fueling this fanfic has fled me. Thanks to a Card Captor Sakura marathon! Lousy cute CLAMP, taking my depression! *sigh* Well, that and my sister's coming home from college for a few days XD, AND it's nearly All Hallows Eve (sp?) which is my all time favorite holiday. But neway, I'm putting this story on the back burner to stew for a little while. I've been writing a little bit in it, but everything I put down sounds like shit. So I'm gonna take some time to work back into angst mode, and actually PLAN the story out @_@. I promise to have at least chapter three up by the beginning of November. Who knows, we may get lucky and the muses may come down and sprinkle me with their muse dust...aka: I may post ch. 3 sooner... The good news is that my writers block doesn't apply for my other story, Painful Epiphany.  
  
Fox: Oh yeah, 'cause SO many people read THAT story.  
  
Hama: Just shut up...Oh yeah, lemme respond to a few reviews! (woohoo! Reviews! ^^)  
  
demon_wolf: That was a cliff hanger? *blink blink* If you say so. I'll try not to end my chapters in cliff hangers anymore, I know how much ppl find them annoying.  
  
acidic green: Aw, c'mon! You can't be THAT bad a writer! Part of posting and getting reviewed is to become a better writer. You'll never know what you're capable of unless you try. So write! Do it! I'll read your story. (Fox: awright, leave the kid alone already!) Thanx for your review.  
  
Leomae108: Preggers fic, ne? Well, pregnancy is kind of a given, I guess. But you don't think I would make it THAT easy on them, do you? It probably won't happen until the VERY end, I promise you. And they'll be at least one juicy heat lemon in there somewhere (I practically set it up for a heat fic!) Not to mention the other couples...so don't worry. If you think I'm getting corny, let me know, and I'll see what I can do about it.  
  
Ana Callista: Ya little hoe bag! It's "Baby" who's fucked up, not my posting. So freaking deal with it! ^_^ (This is my sister ppl) And you know I can hardly write anything without having gainormous amounts of logic to back it up. But as you can see, I'm already stuck in the story! *tries to pull out her own hair* NEway...  
  
Trinity2: Slut! (my beta reader) I didn't know your screen name, so I thought you were a VERY friendly reviewer at first ^_^;  
  
Tise: Yay! It's good to hear from you again. Have some Pocky (throws Pocky at you) anyway, I'm not sure what I'm going to do with Kouji yet...maybe my twisted sense of humor will offer up some kind of cruel demise for him. *shrug* we'll just have to see what happens.  
  
Lianna: You too! Yay! (Pocky 4 you) Inu-chan is coming in the next chapter, if I ever get it onto the computer *sigh*  
  
Everyone else: Thank you so much for your reviews. ^_^ I hope I can live up to everyone's expectations.  
  
I'd like to extend special thanks to ReddAlice.  
  
Fox: She reviewed your other story, dumbass.  
  
Hama: Shut up already! Nehow, she left me a very positive, but constructively critical review. She pointed out something that I never thought about b4 and I just wanted to say thank you. I appreciate constructive criticism because it helps me to better myself as a writer. So, ReddAlice, if u ever read this; ARIGATO GOSAI MAS!  
  
Fox: Can we go eat lunch now?  
  
Hama: *shoots him a death glare* You don't deserve lunch, with the way you've been treating me today!  
  
Fox: Aw c'mon, I didn't mean it. I was just teasing!  
  
Hama: *looks angry* No excuse. *hits him with a squeaky hammer* Fine, but you're doing the dishes.  
  
Fox: ^_^; okay okay! *relieved sigh* 


	4. Hello

Disclaimer: *talking to lawyers on the phone* Well technically hanyou Kagome was not created by Rumiko Takahashi, so that means that I at least own her, right? Whattya mean 'no'?! Okay okay! I'll say it! Just don't hurt Fox, okay!? *Turns to the audience* I don't own Inu Yasha or it's characters. *goes back to the phone* Satisfied!? Now give me back my hottie! *Fox reappears* Yatta! *glomp*  
  
AN: *waving* Goodbye Writer's Block! I can't say that I enjoyed my stay. Hiya everyone! I'm back in angsty mode, which means that all you happy ppl get more story. Hazah! What did it? I'm not totally sure, but it probably had something to do with going to see Kill Bill twice in one weekend. It kicked ass!!! It's like a live action anime, with kick ass martial arts and sexy ppls (Mmm...Chiaki Kuriyama...) You're not supposed to take the gore seriously either, so don't. Anyway, enough about Kill Bill, and onto chapter 3! PS: I miss Gogo!!  
  
Chapter 3: Hello  
  
Kagome was granted a few days of rest to regain her strength and health. But afterward, Kouji worked her even harder, as if he was in a hurry to finish her training. On top of the sexual training (Ack!) he began instructing her in cooking and cleaning. She knew most of the cleaning already, and she was a fairly accomplished cook. But he didn't seem to want to take any chances, and forced her to go through the routines every day. He was even a little more messy than usual, just so she would have something to clean. This new teaching regiment afforded her the luxury of not being cooped up in the basement all day. He assigned her to clean the house, and then study cooking until he returned from work. He was particularly animate about her learning to cook ramen, real ramen, not the instant kind. Kagome found this a little strange, but she was not about to argue with him when it could cost her the freedom of having the whole house to herself.  
  
The days may have been liberating, but the nights were still hell. After dinner, Kouji would lead the slave girl back into the basement for more intense training, as well as to shackle her to the wall for the night. A harrowing cycle of freedom and imprisonment. The whole situation was eating away at her very soul, and she was unsure of exactly how much more she could take.  
  
She stared solemnly at the floor. It was probably about midnight, the room was pitch black. Her body ached from the fresh bruises and cuts that dappled her light skin. "No more..." she whispered to herself. "Please? No more." She felt hollow inside, devoid of all joy and happiness. Despair and pain filled the space instead. It felt as if she had been there for a lifetime, even if it was only a few months. She drew in a shaky, exhausted breath. Her nose wrinkled as it recognized the smell that turned her stomached. The stench of his pleasure was still thick on her hands and clothes. Tears clawed at the corners of her eyes, begging to be released. She rubbed them away. *I will not cry.* She promised herself.  
  
This pain, and this lifestyle, was wearing her down. The bright flame that was once her spirit and soul, was now barely a flicker. She could see her wrists in the dim light, the life blood coursing through the veins, making them pulse gently. "No more." She whispered again. *He'll never touch me again. I can be free from this misery.* She grazed one claw along the length of her forearm experimentally. *All I have to do...* she held her breath and pressed the claw harder. A tiny red jewel formed at the puncture site. Wincing, she pressed harder into her wrist, and then began to cut down about three inches. The blood flowed evenly, warming the outer skin and staining her clothes as well as the floor. She quickly performed the same operation to the opposite arm.  
  
Her work finished, she leaned back against the wall, hands palm up on her knees. *This will all be over soon.* She swallowed hard and tried to press down the fear that crept over her brain. *Just relax and let it happen.* Her mind fogged, consciousness fleeing her almost as quickly as the blood from her wrists.  
  
~~~~~  
"Hey." A low, soft voice whispered to her. "Where are you going?"  
  
Kagome sat up and looked around. The sun was bright and warm, a gentle breeze played through her hair and over the thick grass. It sent a flurry of sakura blossoms from the tree she sat under. Her site focused on the figure in front of her.  
  
"Where am I?" she asked aloud.  
  
"A good place." He said. She couldn't see him. Well, she could, but not clearly, she could see his warm, comforting smile, and golden eyes alight with curiosity. Other than that, he was just a shadow. "Where are you going?" He asked again.  
  
"I don't know what you mean." Her ears flattened a little in annoyance.  
  
"You tried to leave. I saw you. But you can't go. You can't leave yet, he's going to bring you to me. So don't go, okay?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Frustration caused her tail to lash.  
  
He pointed one clawed finger to her lap. She looked down and nearly screamed in horror. Her wrists were split open, not just cut. The flesh was sliced and peeled back, revealing shredded ligaments and bone. Gore and blood stained the blanket of silky pink flowers that surrounded her.  
  
Her head snapped up to look into the eyes of the stranger. They were filled with fear and worry. "Please don't leave me." He begged her once more. His form began to retreat backwards, sliding away from her.  
  
"Wait!" she cried. She tried to move, but she was frozen in place. Everything darkened, and she turned her eyes to the sky to see the sun red and dripping with blood. There was a ripping sound, and the tiny drip cascaded into a rushing waterfall of rich red fluid. It flooded the ground and engulfed the still frozen Kagome. *This sucks.* she thought as she slipped into deeper into darkness.  
  
~~~~~  
  
Several days later she awoke wrapped in warm, soft blankets. Her wrists itched a little bit, as she struggled to swim to the surface of consciousness. Something smelled unbelievably good. It reached through the murk and grabbed her mind, pulling her back into the real world. She cracked an eye open slightly. Her vision blurred, and then cleared to reveal that she was still in that putrid basement. But she was laying on a futon, with a heavy, warm blanket draped on top of her. Nearby was a tray, a bowl, spoon, and funnel type object with a tube, lay on top. She half sat up, fighting the wave of dizziness and nausea that enveloped her. But the coaxing smell of the food that lay on the tray chased away her sick feeling, and enticed her to sit up a little more.  
  
"I'm glad you're awake." Kagome jumped at the voice. It was Kouji's, only the tone was not harsh or demeaning. It actually sounded concerned. Her eyes darted about the room in search of him. He was sitting across the room, near the foul cot. *He was watching over me?* "I must say I was pretty scared when I came down here in the morning to find you wallowing in a pool of your own blood." He rose, and walked toward her. He grabbed one of her wrists and showed her the scar. "But demon blood heals wounds quickly." He dropped her wrist and turned to grab the tray. "I didn't want to have to tube you again, it gets awfully messy. "  
She cursed silently to herself. How could she forget that her wounds would heal so quickly? But she knew why. Never had she been so seriously wounded before, so she had nothing to compare the healing time to. She was jolted out of her thoughts by the bowl being roughly shoved into her hands, along with the spoon.  
  
"Look, I don't want you to do that again." She looked up at him. His eyes were filled with worry, but they hardened at her gaze. "You...you were expensive." He walked briskly out the door, casting a relieved glance quickly at her before he disappeared.  
  
Kagome felt nothing but bewilderment, for all of about two seconds. Her grumbling stomach shooed all questions of Kouji's behavior away. She looked at the bowl in her hands. It looked rather vile, a thick, steaming mass of brown goo. She sniffed at it, and her sensitive nose informed her that it was beef stew, but it had been pureed, probably for pouring down the tube. Her mind boiled with thoughts as she spooned the 'soup' into her mouth. The most profound was 'What now?' She had tried to take her own life. She felt despair for having failed, and disgust for ever believing she should give up so easily in the first place. Would he punish her? Surely not. He was smart enough to realize that punishment would probably result in her making another attempt on her life. *Maybe he'll go easier on me.* She frowned. *Stop that. You're only going to build yourself up to get knocked down again.*  
  
She didn't know how long she had been sitting there, but when Kouji reappeared in the doorway, she realized it was dark outside. He unlocked her chains and handed her a fresh set of clothes. "The most physically intense training is over." He still seemed uneasy around her. "It's high time I taught you how to be seen in public. Get changed and come upstairs." With that, he left.  
  
He took her shopping. Mostly they just walked around the shopping center, allowing her to piece together how she was to behave in a public place. If she made a mistake, she was punished with a low grade shock, just enough to make her wince in pain and try again. By the end of the night she was rather proficient at opening doors and waiting to be told when she could sit. He took her on several more outings, to the movies, restaurants, a few clubs. She behaved so well, he even bought her a few nice outfits, though she never saw them again.  
  
Actually, I take it back. She did see them again, although not for a long time. It had been approximately six months since she first met that horrible man. She woke up to find not a bowl of cold gruel, but instead a tray full of actual food. Rice, miso soup, a glass of milk tea, and some pickled radish sat in front of her, steaming aromatically. Her eyes grew wide with excitement, but darted suspiciously around the room, as if searching for a trap. But nothing lent itself to such a notion, so she dug right in. She inhaled the rice and pickles, but savored the miso soup (oh man...that would be sooo good right now!) and the milk tea. She took her pills as well.  
  
After finishing her first palatable meal since becoming a slave, she quietly began to ponder why she would receive such a gift. Her tail twitched as she thought, and she couldn't help but purr with the sensation of her stomach filled with comfort food. (I ALWAYS feel good after a bowl of miso soup...oh man, I could really go for a bowl right now) What was even stranger was that she woke up on her own, no shocking spray with the hose or kick in the stomach. She frowned. *What's going on?* Just then, the door creaked open, revealing a well dressed Kouji. Abruptly her purring ceased and her tail stilled.  
  
"Oh good, you're awake. I'd hate to have had to get you up." *Something's weird...He's being nice.* He stepped over to her and began undoing her locks. "Alas, this is our last day together." He smiled at her, but her eyes were set on the ground. "After today, you'll belong to my cousin, Inu Yasha. You're his birthday present."  
  
He finished with the locks and beckoned her to follow. *A new master?* She quietly pondered as she followed him through the house. *Inu Yasha...his cousin...I wonder if sadism is hereditary.* She frowned briefly. *What if he's worse?* He led her into the upstairs bathroom where Kagome nearly fell over in shock. A hot, fragrant bath was drawn. Hanging on a coat hanger on the towel rack was one of the outfits they had bought: a simple, but tasteful, light blue sundress. A pale yellow jacket, tights, undergarments, and a pair of nice shoes accompanied it. (she wore this outfit, or something like it, in one of the episodes, and I thought it looked really nice on her) Lined up along the edge of the bath was a variety of body washes, shampoos and conditioners. The vanity counter had a number of combs and hair accessories, as well as a hair dryer and brush. She turned to him, shocked.  
  
"Mi-lord?"  
  
Kouji coughed. "Well, I can't present you looking..." he wrinkled his nose. "Or smelling like that. So take the bath, get prettied up, and come downstairs when you're finished." He walked out of the bathroom, pulling the door shut as he did. "Oh, and don't dilly dally, we have to be there by 2:00." The door closed.  
  
Kagome let her jaw drop, and then turned eagerly back to the bath. She wasted no time in stripping of her rank slave clothes and slipping into the warm, inviting water. She lazed there for a few minutes, letting the sweet scents calm her churning thoughts, and the gentle caress of the water wash away the tension in her body. Her thoughts drifted like the soap bubbles on the surface of the water. She was hit with a wave of nostalgia when they arrived on the subject of her family. *I wonder what they're doing now? Do they know what happened to me?* She frowned as she recalled her capture. She had gone hunting, and foolishly forgot to check the date. *I couldn't do anything to stop it...* She shook the thoughts from her head. *No, don't pity yourself, it never gets you anywhere.* Grabbing a bottle of shampoo, she pushed her thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand, becoming presentable.  
  
------------------  
  
They arrived at the medium sized building. It was one of those kind that was rented out for private functions. There were several cars already parked in the lot. Kagome fought to keep from shaking. In the next few hours, her life would change once more, and the uncertainty whether it was a good or bad change made her blood run cold. Kouji led her to the entrance. He granted her the dignity of not wearing a leash, as normal slaves wore, but she still had her collar locked to her neck, and he still had the remote in his possession. She shifted her bag slightly. The smallish yellow pack carried the few clothes he bought her, and her medication.  
  
"You best behave." He threatened her quietly as they climbed the stairs. "I don't want to be embarrassed by having to correct you in the middle of the party."  
  
Kagome mentally scowled, flirting her tail in annoyance. They were greeted at the door by a tall, handsome looking man. Kagome's breathe caught in her throat when she saw him. *A demon? A full demon?* He had long, silky white hair that drifted almost to his knees. Beneath his former attire, she could tell that his was lean and solidly built. She let her eyes focus on his face for only a brief moment before they rested on his shoes. He had a fairly effeminate face, marked by purple stripes on either side, and a dark crescent moon on his forehead. His golden eyes glared critically at her.  
  
"Kouji." His voice was deep and eternal. "This is the slave?" though surprise tinted his voice, his expression remained unchanged.  
  
"Yes Sesshoumaru-san." Kouji seemed almost as nervous as Kagome.  
  
"A hanyou? That's...unusual." He stepped backwards and waved his arm in two directions. "The party is through there. Gifts go in that room."  
  
"Thank you Sesshoumaru-san." He headed for the door leading to the party. Kagome bowed politely to the dog demon and followed.  
  
"Kouji." Both froze at Sesshoumaru's call. "Did I not just tell you that gifts are to be stored in there?" there was a low, almost imperceptible growl to his voice. "That." He pointed to her. "Does not need to be seen."  
  
Kagome's temper flared like the sun. She bit her cheek to keep from chewing the demon out right then and there. *He just referred to me as an object!? That bastard!*  
  
Kouji hesitated for a moment before nodding and leading her to the separate room. "Of coarse, I should have been more perceptive." He was talking to himself, more than to Kagome. "They wouldn't be able to overlook the fact that you're part demon, what was I thinking? They'd have been pissed at me." He opened the door to the room. "Get it, and don't mess anything up." He shoved her through the door. "Don't even think of trying to escape either."  
  
*Well duh!* she thought angrily to herself as she settled down for a long wait.  
  
"I have a very special gift for you, cousin." Kouji grinned at Inu Yasha.  
  
He forced a curious smile. "Oh, really? This wouldn't be like that stack of pornography you gave my for my eighteenth, would it?"  
  
Kouji laughed at the memory. "Oh no, I think you'll find this gift to be much more intriguing than that." He opened the door of the smaller room, revealing nothing but darkness. He grumbled in annoyance, searching the wall for a light switch. His frustration grew when he found none. "Don't play games with me, turn on the lights before I have to use this." He held up the remote to add to the threat.  
  
Kagome paused for a moment, frozen by what she saw. The darkness had no effect on her ability to see the two figures in the doorway, even backlit by the bright light in the hall. Kouji was not the shock, obviously, it was the hanyou that stood next to him. Her heart skipped a few beats. His elegant, silvery hair flowed like water down his shoulders past the small of his back. His white, pointed ears twitched this way and that, listening to the sounds of the room. He snapped his head in her direction as his ears focused on some sound, probably her racing heart beat. His golden eyes searched the darkness for her form. She had to suppress the urge to crouch down and avoid being seen, but he had already heard, and probably smelled her.  
  
"I mean it." Kouji growled.  
  
She snapped out of her thoughts. Silently, she stalked around to where they were standing, sticking like glue to the shadows. The other hanyou followed her every move, no doubt he could already see her. She couldn't tear her eyes away from his hypnotic gaze. Unaware to the weaker human, she was standing right next to them. Slowly she reached up and placed a hand on the light switch. Her eyes quickly lowering, she flicked the lights on.  
  
Kouji jumped when he found her standing not more than a foot away. Inu Yasha blinked several times as his eyes adjusted. His breath caught in his throat when he finally got a clear view of the girl standing in front of them. *A hanyou.* He fought the blush that tried to color his cheeks. She was one of the most beautiful creatures he had ever laid eyes on. His heart skipped a few beats as he drank her in with his eyes. Her black, silky hair, the cute feline ears that twitched this way and that, her elegant tail. Her skin was smooth and her body perfectly curved. The mere fact that they were both half breeds gave him an instantaneous feeling of kinship with her. He struggled for a moment to re-mask his emotions.  
  
"What're you playing matchmaker now?" He tried to sound smug. Something bothered him about the way the girl stood though, it lacked confidence, self, spirit.  
  
Kouji laughed. "No, my friend. I present you with your new slave, personally trained by me."  
  
Shock and horror flickered across his face. "What?"  
  
Kouji handed him the remote. "She's belongs to you. I've already dealt with the ownership transfer papers."  
  
He took the remote robotically, glaring at it as if it were a blood engorged mosquito. *A hanyou as a slave? What the fuck was he thinking!?* It took all his will power to remain in character. He smirked. "Personally trained, ne? Marvelous. I bet it was a lot of fun." An annoyed growl tinged his voice, but Kouji read it as a happy sound.  
  
The human laughed. "She certainly gave me my money's worth. We got there in the end."  
  
Inu Yasha noticed the girl's ear twitch, and her tail bristled ever so slightly. Hatred entangled itself in her scent. He cast her a sympathetic glance, one she never read because her eyes seemed to be super-glued to the ground. Anger and pity welled up inside him. "Thank you, cousin. I'll enjoy her thoroughly." He put a hand on Kouji's shoulder and led him out the door. "Why don't you go back to the party. I want to..." he glanced back at the girl. "Get better acquainted."  
  
Kouji smirked and chuckled maliciously. "I understand." He nudged Inu Yasha in the side before turning to head back to the loud room down the hall.  
  
Inu Yasha rolled his eyes. *Let him think what he wants.* He went back into the room and closed the door. He swallowed hard as the looked to the slave girl once more.  
  
Kagome fought hard to keep from shaking. Did he really plan on taking her right then and there? She winced when she felt his eyes on her.  
  
"Um, so what's your name?"  
  
She almost jumped out of her skin. "Kagome, milord." She answered, still gazing at the ground, unmoving.  
  
"Kagome." He tried it out. He liked that name. "Look at me." He told her. She did as she was told, though her eyes did not meet his, the way they had in the dark. "Look me in the eye." She shifted her weight nervously, before her warm brown eyes finally managed to meet his golden ones. His heart fluttered again. There was a hidden spirit inside those dark pools. But it had been beaten into submission. He secretly wished he could bring the fire out again, he wanted to see what she was like when she acted normally. *She's probably really cute when she's mad.* He blushed suddenly at the thought and looked away. He reached his hand up and scratched his head. "Um. Look, why don't you wait here until the party is over. It'd be hard to explain you to my family. It'll be over soon. Is that okay with you?"  
  
She blinked a few times. *Why was he blushing before?* Her eyes fell to the floor almost at the same instant he looked away. "Milord, I will do anything you wish of me."  
  
"Look, when it's just you and me, I'd prefer you call me Inu Yasha."  
  
Kagome searched the carpeted floor for answers to the bevy of questions that were flooding her brain. *Why is he being so nice? Maybe, just maybe, he's not like Kouji at all.* She felt her tense muscles relax a little. "H-hai, Inu Yasha-sama."  
  
He rolled his eyes. "No. Not 'Inu Yasha-sama.' Just Inu Yasha." He waited for her to say it. The neko hanyou continued to stare at the ground. It was then that he noticed she made little to no expression through her tail or her ears, and with her face as inexpressive as a rock, it made reading her very difficult. "Well? Say it." She remained silent. "Say my name!" He snapped as his frustration got the better of him.  
  
"Inu Yasha!" She shouted back. "Are you happy now!?" She practically bit her own tongue off. *Bravo! You're in for it now!* She took a step backwards.  
  
He was shocked at first, but he smiled. *There you are.* "Good." Was all he said, and he headed for the door. "I'll be back in a little bit, I can't take much more of this stinking party myself."  
  
He closed the door and left her with her thoughts. *He didn't hit me, or correct me.* Her eyes were wide as she stared at the closed door. *Why do I feel so much more relaxed around him than everyone else?* She shook herself in an attempt to throw away the tension that had built up inside her. She sat down on the window sill. Her stomach suddenly protested to the lack of food, and she realized that she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and it was evening now. *He better not take too long, or I'll die of starvation.*  
  
End Chapter 3.  
  
Ack, sorry about the slight cliffhanger, but it's the only decent place I could think of to end the chapter. *dodges a keyboard* Sorry! I know IY is a little OOC too . But next chapter he will hopefully be VERY in character. I'm already working on it, so as you can see, my writer's block is pretty much gone! ^_^ Knock on Fox's head-I mean, wood!  
  
Fox: Hey! Are you saying my head is made of wood?  
  
Hama: Yes, yes I am.  
  
Fox: That's mean. What'd I do to deserve that?  
  
Hama: You were SUPPOSED to be helping me write waff and angst, but instead all you did was play with the cat!  
  
Fox: Well look at him! He's just so cute and loveable! *Pets Narky, who purrs loudly*  
  
Hama: Be still my heart. Nothing quite like a sexy guy coddling over something cute.  
  
Fox: *looking up* What did you say?  
  
Hama: *blush* I said I have to answer a couple reviews now...  
  
Lianna: Thank you for understanding my plight. Unlike a certain person *cough* acidic green *cough* oh excuse me, I must have something caught in my throat. I hope you liked this chapter.  
  
acidic green: Tap-dancing Christ on a cracker! You know what the problem is? I have this tricky little thing that happens. Lessie, what's it called again? Oh yeah, a life! I can't spend all my flipping time on the computer. Okay, I'm just pretending to be pissed off, but seriously, I had major writer's block. I actually wrote the first bit of this story on a whim, I honestly didn't think anyone would read it. So I got stuck. But now I have it outlined out so I shouldn't have that problem again. Just please be slightly more patient next time, okay? And the world does not revolve around you, it revolves around me! So there! ^_^  
  
Thank you to everyone else for being so patient. *happy grin* now press that happy little purple buttony thingy and leave me a review, 'kay? PS: I miss Gogo!! 


	5. Sango's Story

Disclaimer: Bite me! I told you I don't fucking own Inu Yasha. I don't own the rights to Smash Bros. Melee either.  
  
*peers around the corner* Okay, the coast is clear. *runs in and throws the chapter down* Oh god!! Here come the keyboards!! *Flees the room, dodging keyboards*  
  
Chapter 4: Sango's Story  
  
The ride to Inu Yasha's house consisted of thirty minutes of awkward silence. Kagome busied her mind by counting the number of stitches on the front of her skirt. She could feel Inu Yasha glance over at her once in a while. It made her a little uncomfortable. When they arrived, she briefly took stock of the house. Like Kouji's it was a decent size, with a sizable front yard. She glanced part of the backyard around the house, and noticed the moonlight shining off of something, probably a pond or pool. The tip of her tail twitched with curiosity, but she forced it to still when she noticed her new master staring at her.  
  
"There's a koi pond back there," He waved casually in the direction of the yard. "I didn't really want it, but Sango said it would add character to the yard." He undid the lock on the front door and stepped inside.  
  
"Tadaima!" He called flatly into the house. (Ya'll should know that my Japanese spelling sux big time. Hama can speak, but she can't spell -_-;)  
  
"Welcome home Milord." A girl in her very early twenties, with dark brown/black hair greeted them at the door. She bowed politely to them.  
  
Inu Yasha crossed his arms and lowered his eyebrows, looking exceedingly annoyed. "Sango...how many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"  
  
Sango kept her formal look, but an evil glint shone in her eye. "Of course, Oh Great Taiyokai of all the lands, Inu Yasha-sama."  
  
An angry vein popped on the hanyou's forehead. "Sango..." He growled. "Hai, Inu Yasha-sama?" She pretended to look innocent. "I fucking hate it when you act as my inferior! So knock it the fuck off!" He erupted.  
  
Sango just giggled quietly. "Hai hai! I know, I'm just playing." She fanned her hand at him. "Areh?" She peered around the fuming Inu Yasha. "Who? Oh I get it." She grinned and elbowed him in the side. "So, you finally found a girlfriend, ne?"  
  
Inu Yasha's anger evaporated into a sad expression. "No, actually."  
  
"Hm?" Sango looked a little confused at the sudden change of heart. She looked at the girl again. Her eyes were glued to the ground, and Sango realized that she hadn't reacted to any of the antics that she and Inu Yasha had been committing.  
  
"She's my...Kouji gave her to me as a present." Kagome's ears twitched.  
  
Sango's eyes widened. She addressed the girl. "You're a slave?" Kagome didn't react. "But...she's a hanyou. I thought that was illegal!"  
  
"I thought so too. But everything here is perfectly legal." He waved the manila envelope in front of her face. "No forgery at all. It's legit."  
  
It was Sango's turn to look sad. "Sou na..." She turned suddenly to Kagome, who nearly jumped backwards in surprise. Sango grabbed her hands. "You don't have to be a slave anymore. Inu Yasha-sama is a good master; he'll take good care of you. Ne, Inu Yasha-sama?" She turned to confirm with the inu hanyou, but he was nowhere to be found. They caught site of his form retreating up the stairs.  
  
"I'm tired after that party. I'll leave everything to you, Sango." He mumbled at them before disappearing into his bedroom. Sango sweat-dropped. *Will he ever change?*  
  
"Ano...?" Kagome's voice was small and meek. She could get into serious trouble for speaking without permission.  
  
"Eh? Nani?" Sango turned to the raven-haired girl. A loud growl from Kagome's stomach answered for her. Her cheeks flushed pink slightly. Sango giggled and pulled her in the direction of the kitchen. She pushed Kagome onto one of the stools at the island before rummaging around in the refrigerator.  
  
"Hmm...I think we have some leftover rice. Oh, and the stir-fry from last night...unless Inu Yasha-sama ate it all. Ah! Here it is!" She climbed out of the fridge with two large Tupperware containers. She quickly served some into a bowl and set it to warm in the microwave. She leaned against the island casually. "So, what's your name?"  
  
Kagome stared at the marble countertop. "Kagome, Milady."  
  
"Uh uh," Sango corrected her. "You don't need to call me Milady. I'm a slave too you know."  
  
"Eh?!" Kagome stared at the other girl in shock. "But, the way you acted with-"  
  
"I told you. Inu Yasha-sama is a good master. The first day he brought me here he said 'I'm not going to treat you like a slave, so there's no need to act like one.'" She imitated his annoyed tone almost perfectly, a sign she saw him annoyed fairly frequently. "It was true, what he said. After the first few months, I didn't even feel like a slave anymore. I think if it were up to him, he wouldn't own slaves."  
  
Kagome's attitude changed almost instantly. Back in the store, when the shopkeeper wasn't around, the slaves could all relax and act normally around each other. Learning that Sango was also a slave, her trained behavior shut down immediately. "If he doesn't want to own slaves, then why does he have you?"  
  
"Hum...its kind of a long story." The microwave beeped, and Sango retrieved the steaming bowl. She paused for a moment to think, slowly picking through a drawer of utensils. Kagome's stomach growled once more, causing Sango to giggle. "Sorry, got lost in my thoughts." She promptly gave the hanyou the bowl and a spoon.  
  
Kagome forced herself to eat slowly, despite the fact that she was starving. "Well, it's not like I have anything better to do, so spill." She said between bites.  
  
Sango grabbed a juice box of green tea out of the fridge before sitting across from the other girl. "I guess you could say that, like you, I was forced onto Inu Yasha-sama."  
  
**Flashback**  
  
The crowd was thick, almost as thick as the stink of the marketplace itself. Two figures wove through the mass of bodies, struggling to discover the path of least resistance to the auction stand.  
  
"Oi, Miroku." A very annoyed Inu Yasha called to the man in front of him. The volume of the crowd drowned out his voice, and he had to try again. "Miroku!"  
  
Miroku finally heard, coming to a halt and stopping so Inu Yasha could catch up. His dark brown bangs danced about his forehead, casting playful shadows across his equally brown eyes. The majority of his locks were tied back into a tiny rattail at the nape of his neck. "Ah, nani?"  
  
"You're leaving me behind. I didn't even want to be here, remember?" The hanyou crossed his arms in annoyance. "All these stinking humans." He wrinkled his nose to emphasize the ambiguity in his statement.  
  
"Hai hai. I know you don't like these kinds of places. But I really need help with the house, and a slave is the only thing I can afford."  
  
"But you passed all the shops already. Where the fuck are you taking us?"  
  
Miroku turned, pointing sadly. His finger led to a shabby looking stage. A ragged, hand painted sign above it said 'Auction'. They made their way to the stage and managed to wrestle a spot near the front. He sighed heavily when they finally stopped moving. "I don't have enough money to buy a brand new slave, freshly trained. So I have to settle for runoff."  
  
Inu Yasha glared at him and growled. "Runoff?"  
  
"You know what I mean. I don't like slavery as much as you do, but I can't afford to hire someone to help. And none of the roommates I've interviewed fit what I want."  
  
"Sou? Let me guess, all the girls found out you're a pervert, and you don't want to live with another guy?"  
  
"Ping Pong!" Miroku smiled, making his face look charmingly boyish. (AN: 'ping pong!' its like saying 'bingo!' Sumomo uses it in Chobits a lot.)  
  
"Baka." Inu Yasha looked like he had more to say, but a loud buzzer sounded, announcing the start of the auction.  
The procession that followed was enough to crack even the hardest hearts of stone. One by one, a slave was dragged out from the back room, shackled and decrepit. Many looked much too skinny; some were missing limbs or had disfiguring scars. All were trained a little too well, or not enough. More than an hour had passed, and Miroku had not made an attempt to purchase any of them. He looked about to give up, and put his hand on Inu Yasha's shoulder, who understood and made to stand.  
  
"Hanashite!" Their attention refocused on the stage. Another slave was being presented for auction. It was a young boy, maybe eleven or twelve. He, too, was skinny, ragged, and dirty. But unlike the others, he was putting up a hell of a fight. "Aneue!" He called backwards, to backstage. "Help me! Aneue!" (AN: I'm fairly certain that 'hanashite' means 'let go of me' or something like that. And then 'aneue' is the OLD way of saying 'sister.' If I'm wrong, you can bitch me out in a review) His cries for help were met with a brutal blow to the head. He didn't lose consciousness, but was silent from then on. Both young men focused intently on the stage. This boy was probably the youngest slave they had ever seen up for sale.  
  
"A young one, this. He's strong, good teeth, good health. Needs a little more training." The auctioneer explained to the audience. "Let's start the bidding at five hundred."  
  
"Five hundred!" A voice rang out of the crowd.  
  
"Six hundred!" Another called.  
  
Miroku turned to the voice he recognized. "Isn't that-" he pointed to the man who had called out. "That's Daren Baditz, isn't it?"  
  
"The kiddy-porn guy?" Inu Yasha turned to where Miroku was looking. Sure enough, the sicko manager of a child pornography ring was standing in the crowd. He looked excited, like a child that just found a hundred dollar bill in the garbage.  
  
"Seven hundred!" Another offer.  
  
Daren immediately responded. "Nine hundred!"  
  
Anger darkened Miroku's normally gentile face. "There is no way I'm going to let a poor kid get sold to that asshole. A thousand!"  
  
He and Daren held a short glaring contest. No new offers were made by anyone else. The auctioneer raised his mallet.  
  
"Going once!"  
  
"Eleven hundred!" The pedophile snickered at Miroku.  
  
"Fifteen hundred!" He retaliated.  
  
"Miroku, what are you doing!?" Inu Yasha hissed. "You're gonna blow all your savings!"  
  
"Shut up." He growled, not tearing his eyes away from the test of wills that was still going on.  
  
"Seventeen hundred!" Daren's face started to crack. As much as he wanted the boy, he seemed unwilling to go much higher.  
  
"Two thousand." Miroku growled.  
  
"Going once!" He called, looking at Daren to see if he would make a counter offer. "Going twice." The crowd around the auction stand was eerily quiet. "Sold! To the gentleman standing next to the dog."  
  
"Fuck you!" Inu Yasha yelled at him.  
  
Miroku grinned at the defeated pedophile, who just turned and stormed out of the crowd. The handlers leashed the boy and led him to where the two young men stood. Miroku paid them and took the boy's leash. He knelt down. "Hi, my name is Miroku. What's yours?"  
  
The boy glared at the ground, tears threatening to pour from his cheeks at any moment. "K-Kohaku Milord."  
  
"Kohaku, you can just call me Miroku."  
  
"Fuck you." The boy mumbled to the ground.  
  
Both Miroku and Inu Yasha looked shocked. "You probably shouldn't talk like that. If we weren't nicer people, you'd be dead by now."  
  
Inu Yasha warned. Kohaku seemed unable to hold back his tears. "I'd rather be dead than never see her again." He sobbed.  
  
"Who?" They asked simultaneously.  
  
Kohaku rubbed at his eyes with one hand, and pointed to the stage with the other. Sure enough, there was a girl being led onto the stage. She looked about nineteen or so, with long black hair and defiant brown eyes. She stayed silent, but glared into the crowd boldly, as if daring anyone to try and buy her.  
  
"Aneue..." Kohaku whispered, gazing longingly at the stage.  
  
Miroku was suddenly breathless. If good intentions were money, he could afford to feed the world, but such was not true. He was broke now, and even though he wanted to help by buying his new slave's sister, he was flat broke. *Too bad I didn't wait one more, what a dish. * He shook his head. *And let Kohaku become some pervert's plaything? You ass! * He mentally berated himself. "I wish I could afford to buy her for you Kohaku, but I don't have any money left."  
  
The boy sobbed a little harder as despair took him over. Miroku hugged him comfortingly. He looked up at Inu Yasha, who looked bored and focused at the same time.  
  
"We'll start the bidding at seven hundred." The auctioneer offered the crowd.  
  
"Seven hundred!" Someone called out.  
  
The bidding continued for a few more seconds. Inu Yasha looked as if he was fighting an internal battle with himself. He hated slavery with a passion, and no matter how badly he would have loved to rescue every pathetic slave out there, buying them would only support the industry further. Not buying slaves would help to put the whole thing under. But this case was different, it hit a little closer to home. He sighed.  
  
"Inu Yasha?" Miroku gave him a puzzled expression.  
  
"Two thousand, two hundred!" Someone topped the bidding.  
  
"Going once." Silence. "Going twice!" The auctioneer raised his hammer.  
  
"You owe me monk." He said flatly. "Five thousand!"  
  
All eyes turned to the inu hanyou. No one dared counter his offer. It was the kind of price tag one would see in a store for an already well-trained slave. The auctioneer took stock of the crowds' reaction, coming to the conclusion that this would be the final offer on this particular slave.  
  
"Sold." He said, sounding a little surprise. "To the dog in the front."  
  
"Fuck you!" Inu Yasha was just about ready to jump up and tear the guy a new one. When the guards brought the girl with black hair down, he practically threw the money at them.  
  
She immediately dropped to the ground and clutched her brother. "Kohaku." She whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I won't forget you, okay? I'll find you again some day."  
  
"Keh!" Inu Yasha crossed his arms. "What are you babbling about?"  
  
She looked up at her new master in confusion. She jumped to her feet and bowed obediently. "Forgive my insolence Milord!"  
  
"Oh knock it off! I'm not going to treat you like a slave, so there's no need to act like one. Besides I'll probably end up signing you over to Miroku, since I have no need for a slave. You'll see your brother all the time."  
  
Her jaw dropped and her eyes darted between the two men. "Is this a test, Milord?"  
  
"A test? What? No!" Inu Yasha snapped at her.  
  
"Inu Yasha, calm down." Miroku placed his hand on his companion's shoulder. "Thank you." He whispered only loud enough for the hanyou to hear. "I think we should get these two out of here and take some time to explain things to them, ne?"  
  
"Keh!" Inu Yasha folded his arms and strolled away.  
  
Miroku shook his head, grinning slightly. "Oh, right." He addressed the girl. "What's your name?"  
  
"Sango, Milord." She bowed politely.  
  
"Miroku, my name is Miroku. You can call me Houshi if you want too, though I don't practice much anymore."  
  
"Hai, Houshi-sama." Sango took her brothers hand.  
  
Miroku just sighed and rolled his eyes before leading the two slaves away.  
  
~~~A few days later~~~  
  
"Miroku's on his way over with Kohaku now to sign the transfer papers." Inu Yasha hung up the phone while speaking to the girl.  
  
"Thank you Milord. Would you like some tea while we wait?"  
  
He just groaned. "No, I don't want any tea. And I thought I told you to stop calling me that. My name is Inu Yasha.  
  
"Forgive me Inu Yasha-sama."  
  
He crossed his arms and flopped onto the couch. Sango was really grating on his nerves. He hated being treated like some kind of god. He hated other people doing things for him, he was independent, and could do things himself. *She'll be gone soon, and I can go back to living the way I want.* He rubbed at his temples. *These past few days have really drained me.*  
  
During the few days it took him to draw up the ownership papers Sango had acted like a typical slave, waiting on him hand and foot, bringing him food, cleaning the house, even when her told her not to. It was the kind of stuff that Inu Yasha wanted to do himself. *I don't need anyone to take care of me.*  
  
The doorbell rang and he stood to answer it. As soon has he opened the door, an excited young boy charged inside, tackling his sister. The ignorance of his youth quickly shattered any training he had received prior to Miroku buying him. He acted just like a normal twelve year old boy who was happy to see his sister. Sango was not so quick to forget, and she fought an internal battle; whether to join in her brothers good spirits or obey her training and await permission to rejoice.  
  
"Aneue! I missed you so much! Miroku-sama is really nice, he gave me real food and a bed." The boy chattered on excitedly.  
  
Sango looked to the two masters still standing in the door. They showed no hint of reprimanding either for acting this way. So she allowed herself to join her brothers enthusiasm. "Is that so?" She smiled at her brother.  
  
Miroku and Inu Yasha stepped into the dining room to take care of the paperwork. Miroku wore a grin on his face; one that Inu Yasha knew all to well.  
  
"What are you grinning for, monk?"  
  
"Oh, nothing really. Just having a beautiful lady living in my house makes me happy." His smile was tainted slightly with hidden perversion.  
  
The hanyou gave him a skeptical look. "Should I be worrying? You're not going to do anything to her." It was more of a statement than a question. Miroku was his best friend, but Inu Yasha knew all to well how the houshi's lust for the ladies got the better of him sometimes. Most of the time, he never got further than a grope, but who could know what would happen, especially with Sango 'belonging' to him.  
  
Miroku held up his hands in submission. "I wouldn't dream of laying a finger on her without permission."  
  
"Why do I not believe you?" the inu crossed his arms.  
  
"Come on Inu Yasha, have some faith in me. I am a monk after all."  
  
He just snorted. "You certainly don't act like it." He sighed in defeat. "Okay, sign here and here." He handed Miroku a pen.  
  
When all the paperwork and legal mumbo-jumbo was sorted through, the two men returned to the living room where Sango and Kohaku were talking. Their conversation ceased when the monk and hanyou entered.  
  
Miroku looked all too pleased. He wore a big, stupid grin. Sango returned the smile. Kohaku talked about the monk as if he were a saint, so she felt confident that she and her brother would be treated well.  
  
"Well everything's all taken care of." Inu Yasha stated plainly.  
  
Miroku stepped closer to the dark haired girl. "It fills me with great joy to welcome you into my home."  
  
Sango blushed slightly. *He's talking to me like I'm a goddess.* She opened her mouth to thank him, for taking care of her brother, for keeping them together, for the happy life that she was certain was waiting for her. She didn't get to express these thanks. Instead, she squeaked as Miroku's hand caressed her bottom. She was shocked, no one had ever groped her before. Her anger flared, but her slave training prevented her from retaliating.  
  
Inu Yasha reacted for her. He drove his elbow into the monk's thick skull. "Baka!" He snapped. "I knew I couldn't trust you!"  
  
Miroku crouched down, nursing the large bump that was growing on his head. The hanyou came to a decision, but he wouldn't act on it without the girl's consent. He grabbed Sango's wrist and dragger her into the kitchen.  
  
"Look, I don't want a slave, and I know you really want to stay with your brother. But I know Miroku and I can't fully guarantee he's not going to try and take advantage of you. So here's my offer. You stay here, and I'll make it possible for you to go and see Kohaku whenever you want."  
  
Sango just looked bewildered. "But, if that's the case, is Kohaku safe with him?" "Well, except for his womanizing, Miroku is a good guy. He doesn't touch children, if that's what you're thinking."  
  
She crossed her arms and thought for a moment. She wanted to be with her brother. But Inu Yasha was right, the monk did seem to have a perverted streak. And though she was perfectly capable of protecting herself, her training dulled her sense of self defense. She looked at the hanyou. *He's a nice guy.* She was sure he would treat her like a person, not a slave, and she trusted his promise to let her see her brother whenever she wanted.  
  
She slowly nodded her head. "Okay. I'll stay here." Her face flashed uncertainty for a moment. "Will I really be able to see him whenever I want?"  
  
He looked annoyed. "I said you could, didn't I?" He started to leave the room, but turned to her once more. "And one more thing. If he EVER gropes you again without you're permission, don't hesitate to punish him. If you don't, I will."  
  
She stared at him blankly for a moment. He had just ordered her to defend herself against another master's advances. *No no, he said not to think of them as my superiors.* She smiled. Things were going to be okay.  
  
He sighed, slightly annoyed with her hesitation, and pushed her back into the living room. Miroku was flopped on the couch, tentatively touching his bump. Kohaku brightened when he saw his sister return. She sat down next to him and pulled him close. Inu Yasha disappeared into the dining room, returning shortly afterwards with the papers that he and Miroku had just signed. He promptly locked them away in a nearby desk. Miroku looked puzzled and nervous.  
  
"Inu Yasha? What are you doing?" He sat up.  
  
"Sango and I have decided to let her stay here until you've learned to tame your inner hentai."  
  
Both Kohaku and Miroku looked horrified. The young boy turned to his sister, his face looked as if he had been betrayed. It pained her to see her brothers face like that. "Aneue?" His fist curled around her sleeve.  
  
"Daijobu Kohaku-chan. Inu Yasha-sama is going to make arrangements so we can see each other whenever we want, okay? I'm not going to leave you." She hugged him.  
  
Kohaku looked relieved. He would still be able to see his sister, maybe not live with her, but it was better than the fate that could have awaited them. Miroku looked angry and disappointed at the same time.  
  
"No fair, Inu. You promised." He pouted.  
  
"Hey, I shelled out the money for her. I did you enough favors this week. Besides, it wasn't just my decision, she chose too."  
  
"Busu..." The monk crossed his arms and sighed heavily. "I suppose this'll work out okay too."  
  
"Miroku-sama?" Kohaku's voice was bright.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Can I spend the day with Aneue?" He looked hopeful.  
  
"Of course you can. Its okay, isn't it Inu Yasha?" He asked his friend.  
  
"Keh. So long as you don't get on my nerves."  
  
"Wai! Arigato!" the young boy latched onto the hanyou with a  
thankful hug.  
  
"Arigato gosai mas Inu Yasha-sama!"  
  
His ears flattened. "Alright! Just stop touching me!"  
  
Kohaku released him and ran over to his sister. "Let's go!" He dragged her off to some unannounced location.  
  
Miroku smiled after the siblings. "You really are a good person Inu Yasha."  
  
"Keh, whatever."  
  
**End Flashback**  
  
"Godammit!" Inu Yasha's loud cursing resounded from upstairs.  
  
Kagome ducked and her ears flattened. She could hear him as loud as if he were right in the room. Sango laughed.  
  
"Probably playing video games again." She sucked the last few drops of green tea out of the box.  
  
Kagome's ears flicked back into a relaxed position. She shifted in her chair a little. "Do you still get to see Kohaku?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" Sango tossed the box into the garbage. "In fact, he's coming over tomorrow. So you'll get to meet Houshi-sama too. Watch yourself, his hands still wander." She yawned and stretched. "Wow, it's later than I thought." She said, glancing at the clock. "I think I'm gonna hit the hay."  
  
Kagome checked the time as well. It was already midnight, but she was anything but tired. She'd spent the entire day catnapping and waiting, so sleep was something she could not even dream of trying to capture now. "Um, I'm not tired at all. Do you think it'll be okay if I look around a little?"  
  
"Sure thing. Let me just show you where you can sleep and all that, okay?" She glanced at the small yellow pack. "Not much for clothes, ne?"  
  
The neko shook her head. "Only one or two outfits and some underwear."  
"That's okay. You can wear some of mine until we can take you shopping. Come upstairs." She put Kagome's empty dishes in the sink before leading her up the carpeted stairs.  
  
At the top of the stairs they turned right. Kagome could hear more cursing emanating from one of the rooms down the opposite end of the hall. "Inu Yasha-sama's room is down there. And the study that he never uses." They continued down the hall. "Here's the bathroom. Kind of a library slash sitting room here." They came to the end of the hall. She pointed to the room on the left. "That's me." She turned to the room across from it. "This was a guest room, but I guess now it's you."  
  
Kagome looked at her new room. It was plain, very plain. Basic pine furniture on one wall. A closet tucked in the corner and a simple pine, double bed. There was a fairly large window that overlooked the neighborhood. It was boring, but anything was better than the dank hole she was used to sleeping in.  
  
She peered into Sango's room. It had much more character to it. The walls were painted a bold, but sensible maroon, this added with warm lighting gave the room a very friendly feel. Her darkly stained furniture was adorned with figures and elegant statues. There was a TV and beanbag chair in one corner, along with a mess of DVDs. She, too had a double bed, the blanket on top looked furry, with a stalking panther pictured on it. Something was curled up near the head of the bed, it looked like a cat. Upon hearing the girls, it stood and stretched. It trotted over to Sango and rubbed against her legs, purring loudly.  
  
"Is that your cat?" Kagome asked, kneeling down.  
  
"Yeah, well no. She actually belongs to Inu Yasha-sama, but she likes me a lot better than him. Her name's Kirara."  
  
Kirara chirped at Kagome as she sniffed the girls' outstretched hand. Deciding she liked the hanyou, she purred louder and rubbed against her hand. Kagome smiled. She scratched the cat behind the ears and under the chin, earning her louder purring.  
  
"Here, you can wear these to sleep." Sago handed her a few folded items of clothing.  
  
Kagome took them. "Thank you."  
  
"No problem." She yawned again. "Not to be rude, but I'm really tired. I'll see you in the morning, okay?"  
  
Kagome stood and backed out of Sango's doorway. "Okay. Good night." She went into her own room and closed the door to change and unpack. The dress was nice, but not very comfortable. The pajamas would be much more so. *Maybe I'll go watch the koi. * She thought to herself as she slipped out of the small garment and into the pj's. The top was a simple white t- shirt with a cartoon cat on the front. The pants were black flannel with gray paw prints patterned over them. *Oh very clever. * She thought sarcastically, and giggled. She had to use her claws to undo a few stitches along the seam in the back in order to get her tail to fit comfortably through the pants. *I'll just sew that up before I give them back. * She tossed what few clothes she had into her bureau before leaving to explore the house a little.  
  
She stopped when she reached the stairs. Her sensitive ears picked up the sound of button mashing and video game BGM's. *I wonder what he's playing. * Her tail twitched as curiosity ran rampant in her mind. *No, don't go. You could get into trouble for interrupting him. Just go look at the koi like you planned to do. * She placed her hand on the railing.  
  
"Yatta!" Kagome stopped at the sound of the excited voice. "Finally! That character was way too hard to beat!" Her new master seemed to be very happy with whatever he was doing.  
  
Curiosity got the better of Kagome. Her body turned rigid as she went into stalking mode. *I'll just sneak up and see what he's doing. That's all. I can't get in trouble if he doesn't see me, right? * She crept silently down the hall, toward the source of the video game BGM. Her feline stealth made her journey silent. When she reached the room, she peered carefully around the doorframe.  
  
It was definately a guy's room. The large bed was in shambles, and laundry was tossed about every nook and cranny. There was a good size TV tucked into an entertainment center. Game systems and video games lay strewn about the floor in front of it. Inu Yasha was lazing in one of those wicker bowl chairs, intent on his video game.  
  
"What's your problem?" He said without tearing his eyes from the game.  
  
It was then that she noticed one of his ears was swiveled toward her. *Damn! I guess he heard me. * She stepped into the doorframe and bowed obediently. "Forgive me Mi-" She stopped herself when he glared at her. "Inu Yasha-sama. I was curious as to what you were doing."  
  
"Keh." He snorted, turning back to the game. "You don't have to get all bent out of shape."  
  
She stayed where she was, waiting to be dismissed. It was several minutes before he said anything to her again. She shifted her weight.  
  
"Are you just gonna stand there?" He grumbled to her.  
  
"You have not dismissed me Inu Yasha-sama."  
  
The inu growled, pausing his game before turning to look at her again. "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told Sango. I don't think of you as a slave, so don't bother acting like one. As far as I'm concerned, you're a free person just like me. Just let go of whatever training you've had."  
  
She blinked at him a few times, and then looked to the floor. "It's harder to let go than it seems."  
  
Inu Yasha stared at the cat, and she stared at the floor. An awkward silence stretched between them; it seemed to last forever. Kagome's feet were beginning to ache a little from standing in one place for so long. Her tail flirted unconsciously, signaling her discomfort. Inu Yasha smiled. That one movement meant that she was trying to let it go, even if it didn't seem so on the outside.  
  
He cleared his throat. "Um...so. Do you wanna play?"  
  
She looked up at him. "What?"  
  
He looked annoyed again. "Do you want to play a video game with me?" He held up his controller to emphasize his point.  
  
*Is he serious? * She studied him for a moment. "Sure." She stayed where she was though, looking at him expectantly.  
  
"Just come sit down! Do I have to give you permission to do that too?"  
  
She jumped a little, and sat down next to the chair. "Hasn't this guy ever heard of patience?" She mumbled to herself.  
  
Inu Yasha heard her comment, despite her attempt to be quiet. "This game is called Smash Brothers Melee." He handed her a controller, smirking. "You pick a character and fight other characters." He continued explaining the game.  
  
They played for several hours. At first, Inu Yasha creamed poor Kagome, despite giving himself a handicap. She placed fourth in most of the games. Quickly, though, she climbed to third, and then to second. It wasn't long before Inu Yasha was holding the lead with only a few points.  
  
As 3 AM rolled around, Kagome beat him for the first time. "Yes!" She shouted, jumping to her feet. "I won! I placed first!" She pointed at him. "Ha! How does it feel to finally be beaten?"  
  
He looked very annoyed, yet very pleased at the same time. It was all he could do to keep from bursting into laughter. Yes, she had beaten him; and yes, she was rubbing it in his face. But that's what he wanted. It meant she was acting like a free person again.  
  
Kagome's cheeks burned bright red when she realized that she had just acted so foolish in front of her master. She dropped to her knees and hung her head. "Please forgive me!"  
  
Inu Yasha nearly fell out of his chair. "What are you talking about? That's how I've been trying to get you act all night!"  
  
She seemed not to hear him. She was paralyzed by her own fear. "I'm sorry for acting up the way I did. I should be punished."  
  
*What happened? She was so relaxed not more than a minute ago. * He sighed in annoyance. "I'm not going to punish you. You haven't done anything wrong." She had no reaction to his words. Her ears were flat against her skull and her dark hair hung lazily about her shoulders, hiding her face from view. He stared at her for a few seconds, and suddenly realized that she was still wearing the collar that Kouji had put on her. He growled lightly and reached for the lock on the back.  
  
Kagome crunched her eyes shut upon hearing the growl. *Here it comes. * She prepared herself for the beating that was sure to come. She flinched under his gentle touch. She heard a ripping sound, and her eyes flew open when she felt the collar slipping away from her neck.  
  
Inu Yasha tossed the offensive item across the room and into the trash. "There! Now do you think you can act a little more normally?"  
  
She stared at him as she gently caressed her neck. *He really just did that. * She didn't know how to react. *This can't be happening, it's too good to be true. Have I really found freedom in this strange arrangement? *  
  
She stood and bowed her head. It was all a little too much to handle at the moment. Kagome felt as if she might cry, and she didn't want to do that in front of him. "Please excuse me." She bowed to him and hurried out of the room.  
  
Inu Yasha jumped out of the chair. "Kagome? What's wrong?" He rushed to the door, but she had already locked herself in her room. He scratched his head. *Girls are weird.* He decided it would be better not to pursue the matter further that night. There was always tomorrow.  
  
Kagome dove onto her bed, unable to hold back her tears any longer. They weren't tears of sadness or joy, they represented confusion and frustration. She wanted so desperately to act normal, to be Kagome and not the tamed house pet she had become.  
  
But she was afraid. Even with all the reassurance that everyone offered her, she was scared out of her wits. She hated being scared, especially when there was no need to. It was all that damned Kouji's fault. If only she had been a little stronger, a little more clever. She could have escaped and never had to deal with this.  
  
*It's not fair. * She thought. *--Not, it's not fair. But that's the way it is. --* The contradictory little voice in her head said. *--So cry me a river, build a bridge, and get over it! --* Her own harshness surprised her, and only made her cry harder. It wasn't long before she was exhausted. She burrowed under the covers.  
  
"Just go to sleep. Things will seem better when you wake up." She purred to herself. It wasn't long before sleep claimed her, and allowed her to escape into her perfect dream world.  
  
End Chapter 4  
  
Well THAT took forever. Sorry ppl. I wrote most of this chapter a while ago, and then I got a little distracted by all the shit going down over here. I'm not gonna bore you with my scars, just know that I've been too busy/scatty to write. *shrug* It's here now ain't it? I've been in a fowl mood, so any comments about how long it took me to get this chapter up are going to be met with fire. Please review. *waves* Later. 


	6. Memories

Disclaimer: Don't own Inu Yasha, and I never will *busu*  
  
Hama: *collapses on a pile of warm blankets* Fox?  
  
Fox: *reading manga nearby* Ah, nani?  
  
Hama: I'll let you do me in the ass if you tell me I never have to shovel snow ever again.  
  
Fox: *falls out of his chair* Chigga what?!  
  
Hama: *waves a hand at him* Never mind. I'm just tired from shoveling the 18+ inches of snow we got last weekend. I'm still a little delusional.  
  
Fox: *sweatdrop* I know what will cheer you up.  
  
Hama: What?  
  
Fox: You got 75 reviews.  
  
Hama: Nani!? *checks the review list* Holy Kami! I did! WAI!!!! *jumps around the room* 75 reviews, 75 reviews, 75 reviews! *combusts*  
  
Fox: *staring at the pile of ashes* Um...if she were capable of speaking, I'm sure she would say "Thank you!" to everyone for making her so happy.  
  
Chapter 5: Memories  
  
Her heat had set in, so she did what her late father had taught her to do; she went hunting. It seemed to be the only other thing that would satiate her thirst for action. He had told her to save herself for someone she loved. That was fine with her. No matter how much her body demanded sex, her brain certainly wasn't ready for it. So she hunted instead, and it brought her delicate peace. Unfortunately, in her wandering, she had stumbled onto a festival in a temple, nestled deep in the mountains. She tried to avoid it, but cats are curious creatures. She lingered in the shadows and watched the people wander about, enjoying the food, games, and company of each other. Part of her longed to be among them, but her obvious feline features would cause havoc and probably send her to her death.  
  
She was lingering hungrily behind the oden stand. The food smelled wondrous, especially to her sensitive nose. It served to distract her from the itch that seemed to overrun her body. She crouched, eyes closed, tail twitching, wishing not only that she could taste the warm stew, but also that her mother would make such an enticing dish at home.  
  
"Hey, what are you doing hanging out back here?"  
  
Her body tightened up at the sound of the alien voice. Her eyes flew open and she stared at its owner. "What?"  
  
"Why are you back here? There's a whole festival to be enjoyed." It was a boy. A human boy, about 16 years old with light brown hair that hung loosely about his head and tickled at his ears. He smiled at her warmly. It seemed that he was the kind of person who only knew how to be nice to everyone. "My name's Hojo. What's yours?"  
  
"K-." she started, but stopped herself. Demons were known in the world, but it was still best to keep one's identity a secret from humans. Then again, he didn't seem to be the kind of person who minded demons. He hadn't even commented on her ears and tail... yet. "Kikyo." She spat out without really thinking.  
  
He smiled again. "Would you like to walk around with me, I know of some great games we could play." He took a step closer.  
  
She jumped backwards, but to no avail. That tiny breeze he had created brought his scent to her nose. His cute, friendly, boyish scent. Her hormones surged and her tail bristled. He ceased his approach, concern playing across his youthful face.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize that demons were so jumpy."  
  
"Um... it's not that." She mumbled out, her self-control beginning to elude her. "I just...you sm-smell so..." She shook her head violently. "Gomen! I have to go now!" She stole herself away, fleeing into the sun- dappled forest that surrounded the shrine. She didn't have time to see the dumbfounded boy staring after her.  
  
Despite her best efforts, that one, tiny little whiff practically hypnotized the cat girl. She spent the rest of the day following him around in secret. She was able to keep her resolve and not ravage him in the middle of the festival, but she couldn't help but want to watch and be near him. *Damn hormones!* she cursed to herself. She didn't even know the human, but her heat caused a blind obsession with him. She didn't even notice when night fell, when the full moon played on the waves of the nearby lake. Her fading senses and strength did not set off the same alarm bells they usually did. Even in her now human state, the lingering radiation of the estrus fixated her on Hojo. Everyone gathered at the lakeside to watch the fireworks.  
  
"Fireworks?" she thought aloud to herself. She finally realized that the sun had set, that the full moon hung in the sky, that she was now human. She looked herself over briefly. Indeed, her tail was gone and her senses were dulled. Panic rocked through her like lightening. *Oh Kami! I'm doomed!* She gulped a few deep breaths to calm her nerves. Getting scared out of her wits was not going to help her in any way. She focused on the feelings in her body. Her human body dulled the emotions of the heat. She frowned. "I've never had heat and revert ion at the same time. This is weird." She shrugged. "As long as I'm human, I might as well enjoy the fireworks."  
  
She wandered into the crowd, noting to herself how easily she blended in with all the other humans. *Why wouldn't you? They don't know you're a demon.* She had to wrestle a bit to get near the shoreline, where she would have a clear view of the fireworks. After some pushing and shoving, she finally felt sand beneath her bare feet.  
  
"Kikyo-san!" Someone called. She was a little too distracted to notice, so the someone tried again. "Kikyo-san? Is that you?" The person put their hand on her shoulder.  
  
She jumped out of her thoughts. "What?" She looked up at the person. It was Hojo. Her heart suddenly jumped into her throat and her knees threatened to buckle at any moment. She forced herself to calm down a little and smile nervously. "Y-yeah! Hiya Hojo-kun!"  
  
He returned the smile. "What happened before? I didn't scare you off, did I? Hey, what happened to your ears?"  
  
She laughed uneasily at his banter. "Um...that was just a costume...yeah."  
  
"Oh!" he said. "Hey, are you alone? Would you like to watch the fireworks with me and my friends?"  
  
"Sure!" She chirped at him. *Anything to be near that boyishly cute smile of his.* She nearly punched herself. *Stupid hormones!*  
  
They never made it to the blanket however. There was a bright flash followed by a loud explosion. She at first thought that it might be the fireworks, but a glance at the sky revealed no lingering smoke trails to show that it was a rocket. Loud shrieks suddenly met her ears. The shrine erupted into chaos as people started running every which way. She suddenly found herself eating sand. Something stung into her leg and she screamed in pain.  
  
Kagome sat up abruptly in bed, gasping for air. The sheets twisted in confusing knots about her body. Black hair stuck to her sweaty face in unflattering clumps, her ears pressed flat against her head, and her tail bristled to twice its normal size. The fleeting memories of her capture still burned at the edges of her mind.  
  
She sat frozen on the bed for several minutes, fighting to quell the chaos in her mind and boiling, churning nausea that suddenly gripped her stomach. Gradually her breathing slowed and her tail returned to its normal size. She detangled herself from the blankets and rearranged her unruly hair and wrinkled pajamas. Shaking herself to force the last of her panic out of her mind, she stepped out of the room.  
  
She paused and sniffed at the air lightly. The most mouth-watering scent was drifting up from the kitchen. Pancakes, bacon, and what smelled like fresh squeezed orange juice. She nearly started to purr, the warm and inviting scents causing her to forget all about the fitful dream. Her ears flicked this way and that, finally zeroing in on the even breathing of someone sleeping down the hall. *Good, he's still asleep.* She thought to herself, referring to Inu Yasha. She had time to relax with Sango before having to deal with him about the incident last night. Hurrying just a little, she padded downstairs and into the kitchen.  
  
She silently stepped into the warm and fragrant room. Sango was hovering over the stove, working intently on cooking pancakes. She had her headphones on, and was singing along quietly with the music. Kagome cocked her head, giving the oblivious girl a curious look.  
  
"Ano...Sango-chan?" No response. "Sango-chan?" Still nothing. So Kagome placed her hand on her shoulder.  
  
Sango yelped in surprise, tossing the pancake she was flipping into the air to land unceremoniously on Kagome's head.  
  
"Kagome-chan! Don't' sneak up on me like that." Sango managed in her flustered state.  
  
"Ittai! It's hot!" the cat clawed the pancake off her head before nursing her burned ear and scalp.  
  
"Ah gomen!" She quickly soaked a towel in cool water and handed it to Kagome to place over the mild burn.  
  
"Arigato." She dabbed at the area. "I didn't mean to sneak up on you, I'm sorry."  
  
Sango shook her head. "I'm sorry for dumping hot pancake on your head."  
  
Both girls started giggling at the outright foolishness of the situation. After a few minutes the laughter subsided.  
  
"Um, anyway, I wanted to ask you if I had time to take a bath before breakfast."  
  
Sango continued flipping pancakes. "Sure. I still have two more batches to cook, so that should be plenty of time."  
  
Kagome glanced at the already mountainous plateful of already completed pancakes. "You're making more?"  
  
"Yeah, well, Inu Yasha-sama eats A LOT. It's best to finished cooking them before he gets up too, 'cause otherwise I have to keep fighting him off the plate 'till they're done." She looked up to the clock. "It's only 9:30, so I still have plenty of time."  
  
"What? 9:30!? I can't believe I got up so late!" Kagome's stomach clenched involuntarily. If she were still at Kouji's and ever slept that late he'd have beaten her within an inch of her life.  
  
"Well Inu Yasha-sama never gets up before 11 unless he has to, so it's no big deal."  
  
The hanyou sighed and felt herself relax. "I keep forgetting that I'm not at Kouji's anymore."  
  
The other girl cast her a sad smile. "You're in a much better place now. You don't really need to worry about anything, alright?" She spooned out another set of pancakes. "Oh yeah, do you wanna borrow some more clothes? You can help yourself to anything, I really don't mind."  
  
Kagome gave a bright smile. "Arigato Sango-chan. I hope I get some new clothes soon so I don't have to keep borrowing yours."  
  
She just waved. "Daijobu! I said I don't mind. You better hurry or everything will be gone by the time you get out."  
  
"Hai!" the neko called, and with a wave went back upstairs.  
  
She picked through Sango's bureau. It would be tough to find a properly fitting pair of pants that she could fit her tail through. She wandered to the closet to see what kind of skirts the girl had. It was getting a little chilly to be wearing skirts, but what could she do? As she skimmed through the closet, she came across an extremely oversized pair of baggy raver pants. They looked to be about four sizes too big. She raised an eyebrow and flattened one ear as a sign of confusion and contemplation. Shrugging, she slipped them on. If she moved her tail to one side and let it slip down one of the legs, the pants would fit. The waste was still way too big, but she could always wear a belt. Smiling, she grabbed one from the hooks on the door of the closet, and also a shirt out of the drawer before going into the bathroom.  
  
She quickly scrubbed the sweat and grime from her body and shampooed her hair and tail. With a contented sigh, she sunk into the bath up to her chin.  
  
"I could get used to this." She purred, the warm water and fresh scent easing her body and mind. "Sango's opened up to me right away, I feel like I've been friends with her forever. Even Inu Yasha-sama..." She trailed off, her brows drawing together as she recalled the previous night. *Why'd I have to be such a sissy about it? He was just trying to get me to let go. But it's harder than it looks, and he's so fricken' impatient!* She blew a few frustrated bubbles under the water. *He did take off the collar. He must be serious about me acting more normal.* She rubbed her neck subconsciously. *I hope I didn't hurt his feelings.*  
  
Her stomach rumbled so loud, she was amazed that the water hadn't rippled from it. She laughed at herself. "Time for breakfast, ne?" She asked her stomach, which responded with another loud growl. "Hai hai. We're going." She stepped out of the bath.  
  
"Kuso!" Inu Yasha cursed. After several minutes of running the water in his bathroom, it was still ice cold. "What's up with the goddamn plumbing?"  
  
Giving up with a growl, he gathered up his clothes and a towel. He could smell the steam from warm water coming from Sango's bathroom, so he'd just use hers. Wrapping the towel around himself he shuffled down the hall.  
  
"Yo Sango!" He called down the stairs. "My hot water's broken, so I'm gonna use your bathroom!" He placed his hand on the doorknob.  
  
What Inu Yasha didn't know, was that Sango had her headphones back on, and didn't hear a damn thing he had just said.  
  
Kagome, lost in her own thoughts, only came back to the real world when she heard the click of the doorknob being turned. She was only half way out of the bath, dripping wet, flushed from the warm water. Inu Yasha became flushed as well, though not from the water. His eyes were as round as dinner plates as he stared at her naked body.  
  
Kagome's eyes, however, darkened. Her ears flattened and her tail puffed up, despite being wet. Her rage began to boil when the other hanyou made no move to apologize or even leave the room. He seemed to be frozen where he stood. *I'll fix that!* She growled, wrapping the towel around her and bringing her hand back. With one good, hard smack, the inu hanyou was sent stumbling backwards.  
  
"Hentai!" She shouted, slamming the door shut.  
  
Inu Yasha recovered quickly from being knocked on his ass. "Bitch! I forgot you were here!" He rubbed his cheek and growled in frustration.  
  
"Eh? Kagome-chan, daijobu ka?" Sango called upstairs after hearing Kagome's loud shriek.  
  
"Keh! Neko no baka!" Inu Yasha stormed down the hall to his room and nursed his wounded pride.  
  
"Ah, Inu Yasha-sama? You're up already?"  
  
"Urasai!" He shouted before slamming his door shut.  
  
Sango just looked more and more confused. A funny smell tickled her nose. "Chikuso! The pancakes!" She hurried back into the kitchen.  
  
End chapter 5  
  
Otay, there's only one way to describe this chapter: short and pointless. Other than learning a little more about Kagome's capture, nothing really happens. Sorry about that. But I can't really move onto the next major plot point until Inu and Kag develop their relationship more. If anyone has any ideas for pointless relationship filler, I'd be eternally grateful if you gave me some ideas. Arigato gosai mas! And a few review responses:  
  
Raining Fire: Hey, I know you, you're reading CotA's Bonds of Slavery, ne? or izzat another Raining Fire? *big stupid smile* I'm glad I get to be on your fav stories list!  
  
Leomae: Hm, my lips are sealed as to Kouji's fate. But I don't think you'll be disappointed.  
  
Jetwolf90: uh, well that was short and to the point. ^_^ don't worry, I will continue.  
  
Holy-Psychic-Vulpix: Keep up the good? .............sure...I'll keep up the good... ^_^ I'm just raggin on you.  
  
Kim: Yeah, I'm starting to get tired of writing subdued Kagome too. Don't worry, her strong will, will prevail! *cough* neway...  
  
No Tama: I'm glad you waited for me! I'm defiantly going to finish this story, even if I'm slow sometimes. So please don't give up on me! ^_^  
  
Chessie: Uh...no, Miroku's not a demon. He's just a normal human bean (yes, bean) He's a monk, but he doesn't practice the religion as intently as in the actual series. He's got the nifty powers of perception of aura's and wut have your. I haven't decided the true extent of his powers yet tho.  
  
Miztikal-Dragon: *laughs* I like you, you're funny.  
  
Lianna: Aw, you're sweeter n' peach cobbler, u kno that? I'd luv to chat with you online, but I don't think I have ur sn right. You can IM me at Inaho15. I'm on a lot since I usually have it up while I'm writing. If I have a quote or song lyrics as my away message, it means I'm at the comp, ^_^  
  
Shae: I thought I did a better job at getting Inu's character in this chap than the last. *shrug* I've decided that I'm not going to lose sleep if characters are OC. I mean, I'm still gonna try to keep them as IC as possible.  
  
IridescentEverdream: wai! Thank you for your patience! I'm trying to update more often, which means shorter chappies, but at least they're not a month apart.  
  
*hugs for everyone* I love you all sooooooo much, and thank you for reviewing my story. *big grin* I don't feel like shit anymore thanks to all of you! I already extended this invite to Lianna, but anyone who wants to talk to me can @ Inaho15 on AIM. I'd love to hear from u, even if you just say "Hey I read your story, bai!" Ack, I sound like I'm begging...*shrug* so I'm begging, who cares. Ja ne!!! 


End file.
